Youngest District Spelling Bee
Champ Reclaims Title
I
t was a familiar feeling for 13-year-old Kailey Choi to be on stage
holding the district spelling bee plaque.
The eighth-grader from T.A. Howard Middle School made her debut at
the Mansfield ISD District Spelling Bee when she was in third grade and
became MISD’s youngest champion.
In the following years, Choi qualified for the competition but fell short of
the first place title. That is, until this year’s contest, which is the last year
she will be able to participate in the event.
“It’s like a legacy,” she said. “I won first, and I won last.”
Choi competed with campus winners from MISD’s elementary,
intermediate and middle schools to earn the district title. She won in the
ninth round with the word “infrastructure.”
The spelling bee champ advanced to the Scripps Regional Spelling Bee on
March 1 at Texas Christian University. She finished in 13th place
out of 488 schools.
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Choi celebrated the win after the event
with her father and campus principal.
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